prompts -

28Jul 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

What is this creature?

Uncategorized

The final image I'll be sharing in London. What is this creature? Is it actually a plushie holding a plushie holding a plushie? Or is it some kind of spirit? Let me know what you think in the comments section below!

26Oct 2012 by diannagunn

Getting into the Writing Zone

Nanowrimo, Novels, Prompts, Workshops, Writing, Writing, Writing: The Process

Since you're planning to write a 50, 000 word novel next month--dividing into 1,667 words per day--it's a good idea to get warmed up by doing some writing exercises over the next few days. A good goal would be to write at least 400-500 words every day until Nanowrimo starts, so you're already in the writing groove on November first. This warms up your writing muscles without leading to burn out before Nanowrimo begins. Today I'd like to share three exercises designed to help you do just that. These exercises can be done with your Nanowrimo characters or completely different characters. I usually use them to flesh out the characters and world I've already started creating for my novel, because I find that you discover many things while writing that…

06Jan 2012 by diannagunn

A Prompt for the New Year

Inspirational, Prompts, Short Fiction, Writing

The new year has just begun. This first week is a great time to set the tone for the rest of 2012. We all have our own goals, both writing related goals and completely separate goals, for the new year. If we take the first steps towards those goals now, we're ahead. Don't tell yourself you can wait to start working on something because you have the whole year. Start working on it now. Right now I'm finishing up Birth of a Vampire, a short-ish story that will probably end up a little less than 10K. I'm also formulating a plan to edit my novel. As part of my plan to write and submit twelve pieces of fiction this year, I'm going to be writing an actually short story that…

18Oct 2011 by diannagunn

5 Short Exercises to Develop Character

Novels, Prompts, Short Fiction, Writing, Writing, Writing: The Process

Character is for many writers the driving force of their fiction. Knowing your characters thoroughly is just as important as knowing your plot. Sometimes, it's even more important. When character comes second to plot, characters often seem stereotypical and dialogue becomes wooden. In order to make your fiction come to life you must bring your characters, especially your main character, come to life for the character. I've compiled a list of exercises to help you develop your characters. You can do one of them or all of them for any and all of your characters. How much work you do to prepare for Nanowrimo is really up to you, but it's good to have a basic grasp of your characters, setting and plot before you begin. It helps to make…

31Jan 2011 by diannagunn

Prompt: Solitude

Prompts, Short Fiction, Writing

Today's prompt is: Solitude. My Response: The days after Evelyn's death were long and hard. I sought solitude and the company of myself, but it seemed to me that there was another knock on my door as soon as one person had left. They came to visit me, to ask me about her last words, a few to see how I was doing. I did not care for their company; without Evelyn the temple was nothing to me. The temple of Ahkmar was rising; without Evelyn, this temple was as good as dead. It served a dead Goddess after all. A newspaper came to me and asked me to write her obituary. I spat in the young man's face and told him to leave me alone with my grief. I…

09Jan 2011 by diannagunn

Prompt of the Week: The New Year

Prompts, Short Fiction

Today's Prompt: The New Year When the Phoenix flies overhead, the year shall be born again and all the things on this planet shall grow and once again life we will know. The Monastary of Dracon and Astarael was a beautiful place. It was three stories tall and many hundreds of feet long, deep within the woods of Appollinia. The building was black stone on one side and red stone on the other, built hundreds of years ago by devotees of both God and Goddess. On Astarael's side there was a bell tower which stood two stories above the rest of the building. Miriam had been a monk-in-training for three years now, since her mother died and her brother became a soldier. She truly loved this place; it was her…

09Jan 2011 by diannagunn

Prompt of the Week: Time

Prompts, Short Fiction

Today's Prompt Is: Time On a side note, I am seriously considering leaving Orble sometime in the near future. I'm looking into setting up a new site with a new domain someplace else at the moment. I will continue posting interviews and prompts here but be aware that Fictional Worlds will probably be moving soon. Thanks for all of your patience.